Chapter VIII - NOT Human

Takayama, Japan

It was late afternoon in the land of the rising sun, in the most traditional corner of Takayama city, there were leaves on the ground, indicating autumn, a light breeze was blowing some of them away. That remote area was full of Minka, the traditional Japanese house; with extensive gardens, pruned trees and bushes, the architecture, as provided by the style itself, harks back to ancient times, but with a contemporary finish and refinement.

Among all the traditional houses, there was one that stood out for several reasons: its size, it looked like a castle, its surrounding garden had a wide variety of trees, creating a composition of several colors, which brought a harmonic sensation, and lastly, its surroundings had large walls, resembling a fortress.

A medical team was moving around, outside the huge house, several men wearing a kind of white uniform, they were running quickly towards a boy who was lying on the ground. The whole team was obeying the orders of one woman:

- These burns, I believe it was not caused by common causes. - One of the men from the medical team analyzes the boy's body. - And with his physical stature, if he were a normal human, he would already be dead, but as you can see, he is still breathing.

The doctor spoke directly to the woman, who apparently was like a leader, but was not wearing a uniform, but a kimono:

- Take him inside, this boy can only be a motus user.

After the woman's words, the men accompanying her placed the young man on a stretcher and took him inside the residence. In a specialized room for medical help, the boy received all the attention his injuries deserved, but there was something peculiar, first degree burns and superficial cuts were healing themselves, the region around these wounds began to raise in temperature, and then, treated itself by releasing a vapor, it was a kind of natural cauterization. A doctor with a platelet in his hand left the room, going to meet the same woman as before, to inform her of the situation:

- Princess Kushinada-Hime. - She was bowing to her highness. - She came to bring you the reports.

- Go ahead, Takeshi.

- Naturally, some wounds the boy healed himself, but only the simplest ones, I think he must have just come out of a hard fight. His body often discharges low voltages, which leads me to believe that his motus is electrical. - I checked his nameplate, to see if I hadn't missed any information.

- Is he awake yet? - I asked, taking a critical look at the situation.

- No ma'am, he is in a mild coma.

- Monitor him until he wakes up, he could be a receptacle.

Doctor Takeshi soon leaves, returning to his post in the care room as he had been ordered.

"It was all dark when I arrived, I don't remember almost anything, only a single thing: When I opened the door, I was faced with the image of my father, dead, hanging on the wall of the room, supported by a blade that was embedded in his chest, I can remember perfectly, the blood was still dripping down the wall, to a puddle that had formed on the floor, under the body. The room was all destroyed, the walls had scratch marks, not to mention, drops of blood that spilled from the body. I was very frightened, lastly, my father's face. He expressed despair, but obviously without any strength, it was no longer possible to see his pupils. I can't get it out of my head... Why? Why would anyone do that? Are people that bad?

After a week, the boy wakes up, a little scared and sweating cold, he seems to wake up from a nightmare, his vision is blurred, and with a kind of light fixture pointing at him, his vision is difficult, little by little the image becomes clearer, that's when he realizes that he was in some kind of hospital room. The boy tries to move around, but faces difficulties, after all he had been standing there for a week, he then begins to look around and sees that he is connected to several machines, including an oxygen mask, which he soon removes.

Before the boy can make any other movement, a nurse enters the room:

- Look I see you've finally woken up. - she says in surprise.

- Where am I? - asked the nurse.

- You're in NOT Human, and I'm glad we found you.

- Found me? - Expresses an affection full of doubts.

- Wait a minute, okay?

Said the nurse, who then left the room, the boy with effort, manages to get up, sits up from the bed he was, observes his body that had some scars, but was perfectly healed. After a few seconds after the nurse left, another person came in, a uniformed man, it was the leader of the medical team, Takeshi:

- I'm glad you woke up my boy, now I have the opportunity to introduce myself, pleasure, I'm Ono Takeshi, but please, just call me Takeshi. - He introduced himself, showing kindness.

The boy, still confused, just returns the kind act:

- I am Noah Dokgo Haaron.

- Wow, what a mixed name.

- Half Canadian, half Korean.

- Interesting... But now that we have introduced ourselves, I can explain the situation to you, through the machines, I see that you are already well. - I would check the machines one last time. - Put this on, and come with me.

Takeshi takes a kimono, which was on a table beside him, and gives it to the boy, who takes it, still confused by everything, but had no other way out but to follow the doctor. As he leaves the room, he finds himself in a long corridor, followed by several lateral installations, areas destined to certain activities, all tatami-style, referring to the Muromachi period where he was born, Noah was lost in his thoughts, but is disturbed by Takeshi:

- We are a non-governmental organization, our goal is to unravel the mysteries of the powerful motus energy.

- So, that's its name... Motus.

- You understood the situation very quickly, admirable.

The doctor guided the boy, until they came across a large painting on a wall, it was a representation of Susanoo against the great serpent: Yamata no Orochi, when Noah's eyes find the work, his heart races, and he feels a weight in his chest, his breathing is heavy, and his eyes only focused on the painting. Takeshi puts his hand on the boy's shoulder, who soon returns to his normal state:

- Is everything okay? - he asks because of the boy's previous attitude.

Both continue on their way, after climbing the stairs and another corridor, they arrive in a room that has the traditional sliding panels that act as doors, then Takeshi opens it, revealing the room.